Living With Snape
by Mahomie74
Summary: Can she finally get through to Severus and release him from the chains that bind him? Can he rid her of the nightmares that plague her days and nights? When all is lost and hopeless, will there really be a light at the end of the tunnel?
1. Prologue

Screams echoed throughout the halls and classrooms, cloaked figures appearing in clouds of black smoke. Debris flew through the air in response to fiery explosions that shook the foundations of the building. Blood flowed out of injured students and teachers in waterfalls of red, staining the one pristine walls and floors. Her friends were dying. Her classmates were dying. Her teachers were dying. She couldn't move. She lay in a pool of blood that was not her own. Or was it? She couldn't tell. All she knew was that people were dying and she couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't speak. Her transfiguration teacher lay on the ground, head completely detached from his body. Did people really have that much blood in them? Her best friend was sprawled out on the stone, eyes open and gazing at her with a blank expression on her face. Blood rhythmically pulsed out from a wound in her chest, slowly draining the life from her body. She should help, but she couldn't. She couldn't do anything about the mass destruction and death. All she could do was lay there on the blood-drenched floor and watch as the Death Eaters murdered every one of her friends, classmates, and teachers. Then the halls became silent and the cloaked figures disappeared, the echoes of screams reverberating throughout the empty stone-filled passageways. Still, she lay there, unable to get up. All she could register was her own racing heartbeat pounding in her ears and her rapid, wheezing, breaths echoing in her head. All she could see was red. Blood on the walls. Blood on the floors. Blood on the ceiling. Blood on the desks. Blood on her clothing. Blood in her hair. Blood on her skin.

She gasped as though waking up from a dream, sitting upright and ignoring the pain radiating throughout her body. She looked around as though in trance, still unable to make a sound. Various body parts were scattered haphazardly around the room, far away from their owners. Death. All she could see was death. All she could comprehend was the fact that they were dead. Every single one of them. Dead.

She heard footsteps running down the hallways. Her heart rate quickened and her breathing came faster and more frantic. Were they coming for her? Did they know they she was still alive? How could they? She was drenched in blood! The footsteps came closer and four figures walked by the doorway, failing to pass through into the room. Suddenly, one fair of feet stopped.

"Wait. I thought I heard something back in that room over there." One of the figures spoke. They were coming. She started to hyperventilate, hugging her knees to her chest. This was it. This was the end.

"Are you sure?" Another voice spoke.

"Absolutely."

"The Congress said there were no survivors."

"I am positive that I heard something."

The exchange moved something within her. The accents were not typical of Death Eaters. They were American. And they mentioned Congress, the Magical Government for the United States of America. Footsteps approached the room again, but this time, she did not panic. The figures entered the room. One of the figures whistled.

"Wow. This...I don't even know what to say."

"It's horrific! Look at the amount of blood!"

A set of footsteps closed in on her spot in the corner of the dimly-lit room until she could clearly see the owner's face. He was young, about 30 years old with little facial hair and a messy mop of brown upon his head. His eyes widened in shock when he discovered her presence.

"I found her." He called the other three men, who rushed over to the spot at which he was standing. The man knelt down to her level and spoke quietly.

"Don't be afraid. My name is Stewart and these are my partners Michael, McCormick, and Andrews. We're Aurors." The man, Stewart, reached out to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, but did not pull away. Stewart turned back to the others and whispered something to them. They walked out of the room and continued down the hall where they were headed before. He turned back to her.

"I'm going to help you, okay?"

She nodded in response.

"What's your name?"

"Amy." She whispered hoarsely. Stewart smiled kindly at her.

"Alright, Amy. Let's get you out of here."

He helped the girl, Amy, to her feet and checked for any sign of injury, finding only a few ugly bruises. Then, they headed out of the room, Amy gripping Stewart's arm the entire way out of the building. Once they were out of the grounds, Stewart disapparated with a crack, taking her with him.


	2. Chapter 1: The Orphan

"Now we have a few matters to discuss today." Albus addressed the faculty of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. "I am quite certain that you have heard of the great tragedy that has befallen Ilvermorny School of Magic in the United States." The professors nodded their heads in solemn agreement.

"But I am quite sure that you have not been informed of the survivor of this attack out of families, teachers, and students." The room erupted in whispers of uncertainty and confusion.

"There was one survivor and the Magical Congress of the United States of America has trusted us, at Hogwarts, to be responsible for her care and education seeing as Congress feels that their Auror department is unfit to handle the situation accordingly." At this, I snorted. Unfit indeed. That Auror department didn't even have a Head Auror. Albus continued after glancing at me disapprovingly.

"I would like to ask for a volunteer to house her throughout the summer and to support her when she joins us here in the upcoming school year." The old man glanced around the staff table. "Keep in mind, she is in a fragile state of mind. None of us can even begin to imagine what this poor girl has seen or gone through. Now I ask, who would like to-"

"I will." I spoke up even before the man finished his question. Everyone turned to look at me with expressions of disbelief and disgust on their faces. Why wouldn't they? I wasn't exactly the most personable of people. Albus looked at me with a small bit of pride on his face. He probably expected my outburst as much as I did.

"Well then that's settled. You are all dismissed. Have a wonderful summer." The Headmaster turned to walk out the door, but Minerva stopped him. I just happened to overhear their conversation.

"Do you really think it's wise to allow _him_ to be in close proximity with such a fragile person? She's just a child, Albus!" Minerva protested.

"Ah, Minerva. I must say that I trust Severus to take care of the girl. Do you not?"

"Of course I don't, Albus! You are letting an ex-Death Eater look after a child who watched her friends and professors die at the hands of people like him! Surely you don't think that he could handle someone with such a fragile state of mind! The girl needs to be loved and nurtured!" The woman reasoned, disbelief and incredulity expressed in her facial expression.

"Minerva," Albus said with a sigh. "I stand by my decision and I think that you may find that Severus and the girl are very much alike." With a knowing wink in my direction, the old man turned and walked down the hall, leaving Minerva standing alone with an annoyed expression on her face. She turned to me.

"Severus Snape, this girl has seen her friends, classmates, and professors slaughtered in unbelievably gruesome ways. If you so much as lay a finger on her, I will make sure you die a slow and painful death." The elderly woman threatened, pointing a finder at my chest. I held back a snort. The woman wouldn't hurt a fly.

"I believe, Minerva, that I know better than anyone what it feels like to suffer." I bit out, relishing in the woman's shocked expression as I walked away, robes billowing behind me.

I reached my private quarters, opening the door and walking in. With a quick flick of my wand, all of my belongings were packed and ready to go. I had some preparations to be made before the arrival of the girl the next morning. Just before I stepped into the fire to floo to my home in Cokeworth, an owl tapped at the single, heavily curtained window in the room. Sighing, I went to retrieve it and opened the window for the owl to enter the room. I untied the roll of parchment from its leg and began to read.

 _"Severus Snape,_

 _We thank you for volunteering to support the sole survivor of the attack at Ilvermorny School of Magic. The girl's name is Amy. She is 16-years old and has had five years of training in Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, Charms, Divination, and Arithmancy. She suffers from severe bouts of PTSD. Her favorite color is green and she enjoys a homemade muggle food called macaroni and cheese. Please do your best to make her feel comfortable. She will arrive at your home tomorrow at 7 am. We are extremely grateful for your hospitality and hope to hear from you soon._

 _Sincerely,_

 _The Magical Congress of the United States of America"_

I folded the letter and tucked it neatly into the pocket of my robes and returned to the fireplace. I had a lot of work to do.


End file.
